Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Unconventionalism

This blog isn't a platform for my (non-partisan, independent) political views, so I'll preface this post with the note that I'm strictly highlighting great creative work here - not promoting the Republican party or their Convention in Minneapolis. That said, Campbell Mithun developed a greative creative effort, designed to encourage Twin Cities residents to be gracious hosts of Republican Convention visitors. While Minneapolis/St. Paul residents can see the posters around town, the rest of us can see it at theunconvention.com under the "Make an Effort" tab. A great visual and simple tagline gets the message across pretty clearly..."be nice, people."

That said, I also found it interesting how preconceived notions plague many of our opinions - even the most self-proclaimed, open-minded and non-judgemental among us. I suppose it's simply human nature. As Malcolm Gladwell's "Blink" so convincingly proposed, we over time develop notions and ultimately make decisions based on very limited (and sometimes incorrect) observations - observations and prejudices that we're often unconscious of. Take, for instance, the notion of a Republican, as gently and amusingly depicted here. The other bar patrons drink beer, the Republican is awaited by a fancy schmany beverage. The beer guy serves the Republicans wine. Looks like Alex P. Keaton might still be the charicature that comes to most folks' minds when they conjure a Republican (and this great work is no exception to that mild stereotype).

In short, this blog catalogues the musings and observations of a contemplative, restless girl in South Florida. I started this as a way to practice what I love to do most - observe and write. It's a catch-all for the cultural, social and mixed observations that cross my mind, and the random things that catch my eye. Observations, objections, or comments will always be entertained. Enjoy!